Interest in XRP is cooling off, with key on-chain metrics signaling potential short-term weakness ahead.
With waning bullish sentiment across the broader market, these factors suggest a likely deeper price decline for XRP in the coming trading sessions.
XRP Traders Are Tapping Out: $222 Million Exit Signals Fear
XRP’s falling Estimated Leverage Ratio (ELR) on leading exchange Binance confirms falling investor confidence and a declining appetite for risk. According to CryptoQuant, the ELR currently sits at 0.36 — its lowest weekly close in the past month.
An asset’s ELR measures the average amount of leverage its traders use to execute trades on a cryptocurrency exchange. It is calculated by dividing the asset’s open interest by the exchange’s reserve for that currency.
XRP’s declining ELR indicates a reduced risk appetite among traders. It suggests that investors are growing cautious about the token’s short-term prospects and are avoiding high-leverage positions that could amplify potential losses.
The trend is no different among spot market participants. According to Coinglass data, XRP has recorded negative netflows exceeding $222 million since July 29, signaling persistent sell-side dominance and weak buy-side pressure.
When an asset records negative spot netflows, traders are selling their holdings and taking profits, while fewer buyers are stepping in to replace them.
This trend could worsen XRP’s current downtrend, as the demand for the asset decreases while its supply builds up.
XRP Bears Close In on $2.71—But a $3.39 Breakout Is Still in Sight
As sell-side pressure gains, XRP risks plunging to $2.71. If this support floor fails to hold, the altcoin could witness a steeper fall to $2.50.
On the other hand, a breakout above the $3 price level remains possible if buying momentum strengthens. A successful move past this threshold could pave the way for a rally toward $3.39.
TradFi’s relationship with Bitcoin continues to evolve, with 34 public corporations now holding a combined 699,387 BTC—worth over $72 billion. MicroStrategy remains the undisputed leader, holding 555,450 BTC alone.
While some view Bitcoin treasury strategies as bullish catalysts, the data tells a more nuanced story: adding BTC to a balance sheet isn’t a guaranteed stock booster. Outliers like Metaplanet have surged over 3,000% since their BTC entry, but many others have seen far more modest gains, or even declines.
Metaplanet Inc.
Metaplanet is a Japanese public company that has quickly transformed from a traditional business—formerly involved in hotel operations—into one of Asia’s most aggressive Bitcoin-focused firms. Its transformation shows how some TradFi players are reshaping their models around digital assets.
Since launching its Bitcoin Income Generation strategy in late 2024, the company has pivoted sharply toward crypto, with 88% of its Q1 FY2025 revenue—¥770 million ($5.2 million)—coming from Bitcoin option premium harvesting.
Metaplanet first added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in April 2024 and now holds 5,555 BTC worth approximately $576.8 million. Since that initial move, the company’s stock has soared over 3,000%, with recent filings showing a 15x increase in share price year-to-date.
The firm’s aggressive BTC accumulation strategy—targeting 10,000 BTC by year-end—has drawn growing investor interest, expanding its shareholder base by 500% in a year.
Despite short-term valuation losses due to Bitcoin price fluctuations, Metaplanet reported ¥13.5 billion in unrealized BTC gains as of May 12, signaling strong confidence in its long-term crypto positioning.
NEXON
Nexon, a major Japanese gaming company behind global hits like Dungeon&Fighter and MapleStory, added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in April 2021 and currently holds 1,717 BTC—worth approximately $178.3 million.
Despite this sizable allocation, the move hasn’t paid off in terms of market performance, as Nexon’s stock is down nearly 29% since the purchase, showing how, for many TradFi firms, crypto exposure doesn’t necessarily translate into equity gains.
Unlike other firms that saw major investor enthusiasm from Bitcoin exposure, Nexon’s value remains more closely tied to the performance of its gaming franchises.
In its Q1 2025 earnings report, Nexon reported revenue of ¥113.9 billion, up 5% year over year, and operating income jumping 43% to ¥41.6 billion, driven by strong performance from core titles and lower costs.
Semler Scientific (SMLR)
Semler Scientific made its first Bitcoin purchase in May 2024 and currently holds 1,273 BTC, valued at approximately $132.2 million.
Since adopting Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset, the company’s stock has climbed over 55%.
While smaller in scale compared to top crypto treasury holders, Semler’s aggressive accumulation and performance have positioned it as a notable player in the Bitcoin corporate adoption narrative.
In its Q1 2025 earnings call, Semler Scientific reported a mixed performance. Revenue dropped 44% year-over-year to $8.8 million, driven by declines in its healthcare segment, while operating losses widened to $31.1 million amid $39.9 million in expenses.
A net loss of $64.7 million was largely due to an unrealized loss of $41.8 million from Bitcoin price fluctuations.
Despite these setbacks, the company reaffirmed its commitment to expanding its BTC holdings through a $500 million ATM program and a $100 million convertible note.
Tesla (TSLA)
Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has had a complex and headline-grabbing relationship with Bitcoin since adding it to its balance sheet in January 2021.
Musk, a long-time crypto enthusiast, has influenced market sentiment through both Tesla’s actions and his personal commentary on digital assets like BTC and Dogecoin. Tesla’s stock is up 34% since that initial Bitcoin buy, but the path has been volatile—peaking near $480 in late 2024 before collapsing below $107 in early 2023.
Despite the swings, Musk’s Bitcoin advocacy and Tesla’s early crypto exposure helped position the company as a bellwether for institutional adoption of crypto. Its journey reflects the volatility and complexity of crypto exposure within large TradFi companies, as BTC is up 212% in the same period.
In its latest Q1 2025 earnings, however, Tesla posted disappointing results. Automotive revenue dropped 20% year-over-year to $14 billion, dragging total revenue down 9% to $19.34 billion, well below Wall Street estimates.
Net income plummeted 71% to $409 million, and operating margin collapsed to 2.1% as production upgrades, price cuts, and political uncertainty—including rising tariffs—weighed heavily on performance.
Amid declining deliveries and intensifying global competition, Tesla highlighted progress in energy storage and AI infrastructure.
Still, with shares down 41% year-to-date and Musk’s growing political involvement drawing further scrutiny, investors remain cautious as the company prepares for a potential robotaxi launch in June.
Block Inc. (Formerly Square)
Block Inc., co-founded by Jack Dorsey, added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in October 2022 and currently holds 8,485 BTC, worth approximately $881 million.
Known for its early embrace of Bitcoin and crypto integration through Cash App, Block has positioned itself as one of the most prominent corporate Bitcoin holders.
Since its initial BTC acquisition, the stock has risen just 3.8%, reflecting a turbulent journey, peaking above $100 in December 2024, but also dropping to around $38.5 in November 2023 amid broader tech sector volatility and macroeconomic headwinds for TradFi.
Block’s Q1 2025 earnings revealed a mixed picture. The company missed both revenue and profit expectations, posting $5.77 billion in revenue versus the $6.2 billion expected.
Despite a 9% rise in gross profit to $2.29 billion, guidance for the rest of the year was cut due to macro uncertainty, including the impact of new tariffs.
Cash App’s gross profit rose 10% to $1.38 billion, thanks to the launch of Afterpay’s buy-now-pay-later feature and the expansion of its lending program under FDIC approval.
However, gross payment volume increased, and international exposure now accounts for 18% of the total volume.
While Block posted its most profitable quarter to date, shares are down 31% year-to-date, and investors remain cautious as the company prepares to deliver its first Bitcoin mining chips later this year.
Pi Network introduced two significant updates on the annual Pi2Day 2025: the Pi App Studio and Ecosystem Directory Staking.
While the Pi App Studio has been welcomed as a tool for developers to build applications, the Ecosystem Directory Staking feature has ignited confusion and controversy among its user base, particularly due to the absence of profit for participants.
What is Pi Network’s New Staking Feature?
The Ecosystem Directory Staking mechanism allows users to stake Pi Coin on the mainnet blockchain to enhance the ranking of selected apps within the Pi ecosystem. This voluntary system increases visibility for quality apps and community engagement.
This is quite different from traditional staking models in the cryptocurrency space. In traditional staking, participants typically lock up a cryptocurrency in a network to support its operations (like securing the network or validating transactions) in exchange for rewards, such as more of the cryptocurrency. This departure from conventional staking practices left Pioneers confused.
“Pioneers! There is another misunderstanding about this new staking feature. You WILL NOT get Pi rewards for staking for ranking apps! Please read carefully, as always! When staking ends, you get your Pi back minus transaction fee,” a user posted.
“A new paragraph has been added to the Pi Blog, clearly stating that there are no rewards for Pi staking. If this point had been emphasized multiple times from the beginning, many people would have understood it more easily,” another Pioneer added.
Pi Network Staking Clarification. Source: Pi Network
While staking doesn’t provide Pi rewards at the protocol level, there are provisions for incentives from the developer side. Developers can motivate users by offering incentives like app enhancements, in-app rewards, or promotions. Moreover, the team noted that users would receive their original staked amount back once the staking period had concluded.
“When you stake, your Pi is locked (can’t be used for purchases). Example: You stake 200 Pi for 60 days. After 60 days, you’ll get back exactly 200 Pi—no bonus, no interest. The 212 Pi is only used to help boost the app’s ranking in the ecosystem. Staking is a way to support the ecosystem, not to earn. Make your choices consciously,” a user explained.
Despite the disappointment, Pioneers have highlighted that the new staking mechanism could benefit the network. According to a user, this incentivizes meaningful engagement and prioritizes apps that users value enough to support financially.
Moreover, the system also reduces the overall circulating supply of Pi, potentially impacting its availability and price.
“Circulating Supply is decreasing – because all the Pioneers who are staking Pi are locking it, so it will not be available in the market,” the post read.
Thus, while Pi Network’s approach to app development and ecosystem engagement is notable, the staking feature highlights the need for transparent communication to maintain user trust. For now, the long-term impact on Pi Coin’s value, if any, and user participation remain uncertain.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has voted overwhelmingly against a proposal to diversify its corporate treasury into Bitcoin.
This signals that Big Tech remains cautious about adopting the top cryptocurrencies despite rising corporate interest.
Meta Shuts Door on Bitcoin Treasury Move
According to documents shared on X, the shareholder motion received just 3.9 million votes in favor, while more than 4.9 billion opposed it. Another 8.9 million shares abstained, and 205 million were broker non-votes.
Meta Shareholders Vote on Bitcoin Treasury Move. Source: X/Phoenix
This vote follows the proposal of Ethan Peck, a Mata Shareholder, earlier this year.
However, Meta’s board rejected the proposal even before the vote, stating that the company already has robust treasury management practices.
The board maintained that there was no compelling reason to consider Bitcoin, though it did not entirely dismiss digital assets as a concept.
“While we are not opining on the merits of cryptocurrency investments compared to other assets, we believe the requested assessment is unnecessary given our existing processes to manage our corporate treasury,” Meta’s board stated.
Meanwhile, the vote ends months of speculation that Meta might follow in the footsteps of companies like Strategy, which has aggressively accumulated Bitcoin as a reserve asset.
“If a Meta or Microsoft adds BTC to its balance sheet, it will arguably have a bigger impact than all the smaller companies doing it. Kinda like when Tom Hanks got COVID, which made it feel real even though the cases had already been mounting,” Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas explained.
Bitcoin Top 85 Corporate Holders. Source: Hodl15Capital.
As of May 2025, more than 85 public companies collectively hold over 804,000 BTC, according to Hodl15Capital. Strategy leads the pack with more than 580,000 BTC under its control.
